The Day the First Amendment died under US Senator Ron Johnson

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

At a small GOP gathering in a reserved room at the Monona Terrace today for Mitt Romney, the GOP and US Senator Ron Johnson dealt a blow to “freedom of the press.” Dylan Brogan, credentialed journalist with WTDY radio in Madison, was escorted out of the event by Madison Police.

Badger Democracy will update as information is available. Inquiries to Madison Police, the Romney Wisconsin Campaign and Senator Johnson’s Wisconsin and Washington DC offices have yet to be returned.

UPDATE – 4:45pm – Ben Sparks, Romney campaign spokesman, told Badger Democracy that he informed WTDY reporter Dylan Brogan that he was being denied access to campaign events. After which time Brogan created a disturbance and was escorted out by police. Sparks characterized the access denial as a “time out” for Brogan and WTDY based on previous campaign event disturbances caused by “WTDY” staff, not disturbances caused by Brogan himself.